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3.07.2013

A Charming Country Home

Today I visited one of my dearest friends, KC at her home. She lives a few miles down from me in a lovely 1793 beautiful historic home. My friend is a talented designer (whose taught me so much about decorating) who has graciously decorated her home with lovely antiques, newer pieces, heartfelt treasures that have come from family members, flea market finds and each have a tender story on how they came to be part of KC's stunning home.
The home is filled with hidden nooks and shelves, antique latches and hardware, original wide plank flooring and original stone fireplace. She showed me hidden places in the wall where papers were kept and shared stories of her family's finds over the years. It is obvious that KC loves living in a house with so much history and charm and her gift of design is evident in every corner of the home. Her personal touches, baskets, antique dishes and extended family treasures are placed in perfect harmony with new upholstered chairs and art work. (Many of which KC herself has painted) The light entering through the window creates a charming glow against the wide plank honey colored floors and Benjamen Moore colored walls. It is the perfect combination of antique and new, vintage and country. With a few Ethan Allen signature pieces, and natural fiber area rugs, lovely light fixtures and plenty of KC's beloved books, the home is inviting and comfortable, elegant and cozy all at the same time. I thought I'd share my photos with you. Enjoy! KC, Thanks for today. Hope you like my post.

This is the lovely circa 1700's home. In the late spring and summer, KC's home is surrounded by a fence lined with wisteria, a variety of climbing roses and flowering trees. It is absolutely magnificent to drive by and see when everything is in bloom.

This is her breathtaking and absolutely beautiful Living room. I love how colorful it is and how the white and creams stand out against the wall color and honey colored floor.

Love the wide ledge on the windows.

Love the variety of hues in the stone fireplace against the blueish grey walls. And the hidden shelves are charming.

Love the way she incorporated many different pieces of furniture in this room. I regret when I purchased my furniture thinking that I had to get the "set" you know, table to match end table to match couch to match loveseat. I regret that so much. A room has more character when it's eclectic and all pieces have a common thread. I have a lot to learn from her.

This is the corner piece with a lovely silver tray and antique bottles. So sweet.

KC's home is filled with incredible framed art work. (mostly her and her families artistic creations)

They are all so talented. Her husband is an artist as well.

This chair was to die for, the tufting the color the fabric. I love how this Ethan Allen chair is paired with this antique table . In the background an antique wooden chair that her brother surprised her with along with the beautiful white washed cabinet.

Below is her dinning room. I love the antique hutch and her hanging plates. The white just jumps out at you when you walk in.

She has this amazing little cabinet with the white pottery. (below)

Ladder back chairs frame the dinning table, love the black accents.

KC's kitchen is so so perfectly organized. I love the placement of the butcher block island with the little lamp against the shutters and small window. KC talks of her plans for changes in her kitchen, opening up the cabinets and creating open shelves in white while changing the counter top. I can only imagine what she will do when she has the time to. Even though I found it to be perfect the way it was.

This is one of my favorite spots in the house. (Above) This lovely desk has the most perfect placement near this window overlooking the front yard. So many surprises and antiques everywhere you look. I could have spent all day discovering her beautiful finds and acquired gems.

Below is the family room.

The authentic fireplace fully equiped with antique tools and items from her grandfather and family members and each one has a tender story. After all what makes a house a home are the things that have meaning in our lives.

The family room even has a genuine caribou head, actually acquired by her husband.

The house is filled with hidden doors and compartments, unique nooks and amazing hardware on all the doors and windows.

(Above) Look at this charming piece KC painted a few years back. I love the color in the room, it is a splash of color that ties so many things together. Notice the antique bottles and bird eggs in similar shades of blue.

(Below) Even her powder room is beautiful with it's wainscotting and antique mirror.

And this is my lovely friend, wife, devoted daughter, mother of 3, designer, painter, gardener and wonderful cook. A lovely morning spent with a lovely friend in her lovely home.

about me

My husband and I bought a 1960's year old Colonial style farmhouse that we fell in love with. Over the years we have restored, added on to and gone through renovations. I am a mother of two, wife, teacher and writer. I write fiction and am the author of The Shoebox and the newly published The Eighth Summer. I have a third one in the works. I love writing, reading, gardening, blogging, searching for vintage things, baking, living a healthy lifestyle, taking care of animals and coffee. Alot of coffee.